Jeonghan and Joshua from mega K-pop boy band Seventeen offer fans a dream to lose themselves and a moody place to shop.
The two vocalists debuted as a much-hyped unit, a spin-off of the 13-member band’s activities. On Monday, they will work under the name JxJ – releasing their album, “DREAMCAPE,” and going on a concert tour in six Asian cities.
In the meantime, he not only fills Instagram, but also a large visual diary on his Pinterest account.
It’s an interesting choice, as far as K-pop goes – usually, teasers are limited to platforms like YouTube or the K-pop-centric social network, Weverse.
In a written interview with Business Insider, the duo described their interest in Pinterest as a means of introducing the concept of the “visual world”, and the vibe of “DREAMCAPE.”
Mood boards and photo buffets sent to fans are also “little gifts” for viewers.
“JxJ Diary is a place we created to share the concept and vibe of the album more directly with fans before its release. We spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of content they would like, and decided to start our first Pinterest channel that shows a different side of ourselves,” said the duo.
The singer said he wanted to explore the concept of “dreams” with posts on his joint account. They’ve created a collection of behind-the-scenes photos and moments, including everything from candid shots to album photo steals.
“I hope fans take inspiration from the album’s imagery and vibe, and express it in their own way,” he added. “It’s exciting to see her create her own version of ‘DREAMCAPE’ on Pinterest by collecting photos, experimenting with styles, and creating images that reflect her personal taste.”
Business around boys
These invitations to fans lead to a K-pop fan economy where albums are not only listened to or watched but also worn, collected, decorated, and recreated.
The two members of Seventeen belong to a group whose fan base collects photo cards, travels to concerts, and is all over their albums and merchandise. Seventeen’s 2023 album, “FML,” still holds the first-day sales record for a K-pop album, with more than 6.4 million copies sold. The band’s “NEW” tour from 2025 to 2026 sees them play 31 stadium shows in Asia and four US cities, reaching close to a million fans, both in person and online.
JxJ now gives the Seventeen fandom something else to invest in: Jeonghan and Joshua together, and together personal style.
Ayumi Nakajima, Pinterest’s head of APAC content partnerships, told Business Insider that the platform has seen a surge in interest in K-pop, making it a key area for JxJ to establish a foothold.
Nakajima said the collaboration with the duo’s agency stems from the idea that K-pop fans connect with more than music. Pinterest gives fans a place to “explore the visual inspiration behind an artist’s story” and “save what resonates with them.”
Pinterest has seen a strong surge of interest for all Koreans on the platform. Searches for “K-pop style” are up 19% globally year over year, while searches for “K-beauty” are up 114%. In Japan, searches for “K-pop fan art” increased by 368%, while “trading card decorations” increased by 77%.
“A visual experience like JxJ’s diary is to bring fans into the creative world of previous artists, giving them more time to engage with the aesthetics, ideas and stories behind their releases,” said Nakajima.
“That early engagement can shape fandom-led commerce, because fans don’t just show up at the point of purchase,” added Nakajima. “See, a mood or a visual reference can spark interest weeks before someone decides what to wear to a concert, what beauty to try on, or what piece to buy.”
Chemical
JxJ’s album, “DREAMCAPE,” will be released on October 19. Pinterest
For the boys behind the Pinterest boards, they are ready to serve up seven tracks that belong to the genre they “explored for the first time” on their new album. The duet, from the music’s early teaser, includes experiments with house, synthpop, and dance rock. There are also two solo songs – Joshua’s punk rock offering, “Not Personal,” and Jeonghan’s dream bop, “Coloring.”
“Seventeen has a certain energy when all 13 members are together, but we think we both have a different chemistry when we’re together,” they told Business Insider. “Instead of trying to present something new, we wanted to create the natural side and individual charm as much as possible.”
The album was also the product of “a lot of conversations” about the kind of art they wanted to make.
“By sharing ideas and images in our minds, we can understand each other’s feelings on a deeper level,” the duo said.
They also took several trips together, which helped them “get to know each other better and shape a direction that felt unique.”
“We also experimented with vocals to show a new side of ourselves, so we hope fans will enjoy and support this album,” they added.
“DREAMCAPE” premieres on October 19th at 6pm KST.